Challengers Emerge to Replace Divisive Maliki

BAGHDAD — Iraqi officials said Thursday that political leaders had started intensive jockeying to replace Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki and create a government that would span the country’s deepening sectarian and ethnic divisions, spurred by what they called encouraging meetings with American officials signaling support for a leadership change.

President Obama implicitly added his voice on Thursday to the call for change, saying any Iraqi leader must be a unifier. He declined to endorse Mr. Maliki.

The jockeying began as a series of meetings with American officials were held here in which, according to at least two participants, they saw the first indications that the Americans would like to see a replacement for Mr. Maliki, whose marginalization of non-Shiites since United States forces left Iraq in 2011 has made him a polarizing figure.

At least three people, who like Mr. Maliki are all members of the Shiite majority, have emerged as possible candidates to take over as prime minister, with more potential nominees in the wings as parties negotiate alliances from the recent elections. Any prospective successor must convince Iraq’s Sunni Muslims and its ethnic Kurds that he can hold Iraq together, as well as vanquish a Sunni-led insurgency that has escalated into a crisis threatening to partition the country.

Moreover, a new leader must find a way to assuage the many demands of the Sunnis and Kurds, who have long complained of being unequal partners in the country and view the negotiations to pick a new prime minister and other central figures as a rare moment when they have the leverage to enhance their political power and right what they perceive as past injustices.

The Kurds want the Iraqi central government to recognize the contested city of Kirkuk, endowed with oil, as part of the autonomous Kurdish territory they have carved out in the north. The Kurds also want assurances that they can sell the oil from Kurdistan without oversight from the central government.

Photo

Nuri Kamal al-MalikiCredit
Ebrahim Noroozi/Associated Press

The Sunnis want to lead at least one security ministry, such as defense or interior, and control some of the other powerful ministries such as education or higher education, both rich in patronage and jobs.

So far the only point of near agreement among Iraq’s political factions is that Mr. Maliki, who has been prime minister since 2007 and is in his second term, must go.

“We will not allow a third term for the prime minister; they must change him if they want things to calm down,” Nabil al-Khashab, a senior political adviser to Osama al-Nujaifi, the former speaker and most prominent of the Sunni leaders, said Thursday.

Even some of Mr. Maliki’s former supporters among the Shiites have turned openly hostile.

“He doesn’t have the right to a third term,” said Dhiaa al-Asadi, a senior leader of the Ahrar bloc, a party associated with Moktada al-Sadr, the influential Shiite cleric. “We are sure we can remove Mr. Maliki through constitutional means.”

The Kurds, too, strongly support a change, said Falah Mustafa, who serves as the foreign minister for the Kurdish autonomous region.

It is far from clear, however, whether any of the suggested successors could gather enough votes. The names floated so far — Adel Abdul Mahdi, Ahmed Chalabi and Bayan Jaber — are from the Shiite blocs, which have the largest share of the total seats in the Parliament.

Iraqi Army Retakes Government Complex in Central Ramadi

Efforts to stem the rise of the Islamic State.

Iraqi Army Retakes Government Complex in Central Ramadi

Updated Dec. 28, 2015

Iraqi forces continued their weeklong assault on Monday and seized a government complex in central Ramadi. The last remaining ISIS militants left the government buildings on Monday afternoon as the Iraqi Army continued to disrupt the seven-month occupation.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Source: Institute for the Study of War

Control:Iraqi Security ForcesContestedISIS

Previously

contested area

Albu Faraj

Islamic State

control

Eighth Brigade

Base

Ramadi

Iraqi

government

control

Government

complex

The last ISIS fighters

left the government

buildings on Dec. 28.

Tamim

Iraqi forces advanced

into central Ramadi

Anbar

University

1 Mile

The Iraqi government continues to advance in contested areas,

but resistance remains to the north and east.

Control:Iraqi Security ForcesContestedISIS

Previously

contested area

Albu Faraj

Islamic State

control

Eighth Brigade

Base

Ramadi

Iraqi

government

control

Government

complex

The last ISIS fighters

left the government

buildings on Dec. 28.

Tamim

Iraqi forces advanced

into central Ramadi

Anbar

University

1 Mile

The Iraqi government continues to advance in contested areas,

but resistance remains to the north and east.

Control:Iraqi Security ForcesContestedISIS

Previously

contested area

Albu Faraj

Islamic State

control

Eighth Brigade

Base

Ramadi

Iraqi

government

control

Government

complex

The last ISIS fighters

left the government

buildings on Dec. 28.

Tamim

Iraqi forces advanced

into central Ramadi

Anbar

University

1 Mile

The Iraqi government continues to advance in contested areas,

but resistance remains to the north and east.

Previously

contested areas

Iraqi

government

control

Islamic State

control

Ramadi

Government

complex

Iraqi forces advanced

into central Ramadi

The last ISIS fighters

left the government

buildings on Dec. 28.

The Iraqi government continues to

advance in contested areas, but

resistance remains to the north and east.

Previously

contested areas

Iraqi

government

control

Islamic State

control

Ramadi

Government

complex

Iraqi forces advanced

into central Ramadi

The last ISIS fighters

left the government

buildings on Dec. 28.

The Iraqi government continues to

advance in contested areas, but

resistance remains to the north and east.

Source: Institute for the Study of War

ISIS Losing Ground in Ramadi

Updated Dec. 10, 2015

Iraqi security forces have made gains in western Ramadi this week, after spending months trying to cordon off and surround the city. But they have yet to cross the rivers around the city's center, where intense urban combat is expected. Ramadi fell to the Islamic State in May after Iraqi forces withdrew en masse. The government has been trying to recapture it since July.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Source: Institute for the Study of War

Control:Iraqi Security ForcesContestedISIS

Contested

Albu Faraj

Albu Jalib

Eighth Brigade

ISIS

control

Ramadi

ISIS losses

since December 3

Tamim

ISF

control

Anbar

University

1 Mile

Control:Iraqi Security ForcesContestedISIS

Contested

Albu Faraj

Albu Jalib

Eighth Brigade

ISIS

control

Ramadi

ISIS losses

since December 3

Tamim

ISF

control

Anbar

University

1 Mile

Control:Iraqi Security ForcesContestedISIS

Contested

Albu Faraj

Albu Jalib

Eighth Brigade

ISIS

control

Ramadi

ISIS losses

since December 3

Tamim

ISF

control

Anbar

University

1 Mile

Contested

Ramadi

ISIS losses

since Dec. 3

ISIS

control

ISF

control

Contested

Ramadi

ISIS losses

since Dec. 3

ISIS

control

ISF

control

Source: Institute for the Study of War

Thousands Stranded in Borderland Between Syria and Jordan

Updated Dec. 11, 2015

Jordan is blocking up to 12,000 Syrians in two points in its northeastern border region. A satellite image from Dec. 5 shows more than 1,000 tents at the biggest camp, Rukban, in a demilitarized zone between Syria and Jordan. According to the United Nations, the number of people in these locations has risen from 4,000 to 12,000 since the beginning of November.Related Maps and Multimedia »

The estimated number of foreign fighters who traveled to Syria and Iraq to join the Islamic State and other extremist groups has increased to at least 27,000 from 12,000 in the past 18 months, according to a report by The Soufan Group, a private geopolitical risk assessment company. The most foreign fighters come from Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and Russia, according to the analysis.Related Maps and Multimedia »

Source: The Soufan Group

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

Indonesia

Estimated number of jihadist fighters

from top-source countries.

Kyrgyzstan

Egypt

June 2014

December 2015

Libya

Britain

Germany

Lebanon

Morocco

France

Jordan

Turkey

Russia

Saudi Arabia

Tunisia

Note: Data showing the estimated number of fighters for some countries in 2014 did not change or was unavailable.

Estimated number of jihadist fighters

from top-source countries.

June 2014

Dec. 2015

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

Indonesia

Kyrgyzstan

Egypt

Libya

Britain

Germany

Lebanon

Morocco

France

Jordan

Turkey

Russia

Saudi Arabia

Tunisia

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

Note: Data showing the estimated number of fighters for some countries in 2014 did not change or was unavailable.

Source: The Soufan Group

Hitting ISIS in Raqqa After the Paris Attacks

Updated Nov. 20, 2015

Syrian activists have documented more than 70 airstrikes on Raqqa in the five days after the Paris attacks, compared with about 50 during the first two weeks of November. French warplanes have pounded the city, the Islamic State’s stronghold, and Russia has targeted it in retaliation for the downing of a Russian passenger plane over Egypt. It is unclear how much ISIS was affected by the recent strikes, however.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Source: Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently

2 Miles

ISIS military encampments

Raqqa

SYRIA

SYRIA

Damascus

ISIS headquarters

ISIS security headquarters

Raqqa

National Hospital

Al Khoder pharmacy

Jihadi John (killed Nov. 12)

Main ISIS headquarters

Weapons

cache

Islamic Court

Euphrates

Training camp

ISIS military encampment

Airstrike locations

2 Miles

Raqqa

ISIS military encampments

SYRIA

SYRIA

Damascus

Raqqa

ISIS security headquarters

Jihadi John (killed Nov. 12)

Weapons

cache

Main ISIS

headquarters

Euphrates

ISIS military encampment

Training camp

Airstrike locations

2 Miles

Raqqa

ISIS military

encampments

SYRIA

SYRIA

Raqqa

Main ISIS headquarters

Jihadi John

(killed Nov. 12)

Euphrates

ISIS military encampments

Airstrike locations

Source: Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently

How Kurds Captured Sinjar From ISIS

Updated Nov. 13, 2015

Several factions of Kurdish and Yazidi fighters retook Sinjar from the Islamic State on Friday morning. Iraqi Kurds approached from the east, meeting Syrian Kurds and a Kurdish insurgent group that advanced from the west. A satellite image captured the first day of fighting, as American airstrikes and antitank missiles hit sites around Sinjar.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Satellite image by Planet Labs

SMOKE PLUME

Sinjar

Pesh merga

47

Y.P.G. and

P.K.K.

1/4 MILE

1/4 MILE

SMOKE PLUME

Sinjar

47

Y.P.G. and

P.K.K.

Pesh merga

1/4 MILE

SMOKE PLUME

Sinjar

Y.P.G. and

P.K.K.

Pesh merga

47

1/4 MILE

SMOKE PLUME

Sinjar

Y.P.G. and

P.K.K.

47

Pesh merga

SMOKE PLUME

Sinjar

47

Pesh merga

Y.P.G. and

P.K.K.

1/4 MILE

SMOKE PLUME

Sinjar

47

Pesh merga

Y.P.G. and

P.K.K.

1/4 MILE

Satellite image by Planet Labs

ISIS Oil Fields Targeted By U.S. Strikes

Published Nov. 12, 2015

American officials said that the United States and its allies are increasing their attacks on sprawling oil fields that the Islamic State controls in eastern Syria. The airstrikes, which aim to choke the Islamic State's financial lifeline, target eight large fields that generate several million dollars per month for the group.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Sources: Al Furat Petroleum Company, East View Geospatial (roads), Institute for the Study of War

El Isbah

Syria

Deir

al-Zour

Jafra

Sijan

Oil and natural

gas fields

Fields targeted

by the United States

Azraq

Omar

Barghooth

Tanak

Mosul

Isis control

Abu

Hardan

Syria

Detail

Baghdad

Damascus

5 MILES

Iraq

Iraq

El Isbah

Syria

Jafra

Deir

al-Zour

Oil and natural

gas fields

Sijan

Fields targeted

by the United States

Azraq

Omar

Barghooth

Tanak

Isis control

Abu

Hardan

Syria

Detail

5 MILES

Iraq

Iraq

El Isbah

Oil and natural

gas fields

Jafra

Fields

targeted

by the U.S.

Sijan

Omar

Azraq

Barghooth

Tanak

Abu

Hardan

10 MILES

Isis control

Syria

Syria

Detail

Iraq

Iraq

Sources: Al Furat Petroleum Company, East View Geospatial (roads), Institute for the Study of War

Kurds and U.S. Launch Operation to Cut ISIS Route

Published Nov. 11, 2015

Kurdish and Yazidi fighters, backed by American air power, began a major offensive to retake Sinjar, Iraq, and cut a crucial Islamic State supply route between Raqqa, Syria, the group’s capital, and Mosul, the largest Islamic State-controlled city in Iraq. Before the operation, thousands of Kurdish fighters prepared to sweep down from Mount Sinjar and attack the Islamic State on multiple fronts.
Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Source: IHS Conflict Monitor (control areas)

ABOUT 120 MILES

TO RAQQA

SYRIA

MOUNT

SINJAR

Sinjar

IRAQ

47

ABOUT 60 MILES

TO MOSUL

Qamishli

Turkey

Dohuk

MOUNT

SINJAR

Hasaka

Mosul

47

Syria

Tal Afar

Sinjar

Approx. section of road

targeted by the operation

ISIS currently

moves freely through

eastern Syria

Raqqa

Iraq

Isis

control

Area of

detail

Syria

Iraq

Deir al-Zour

25 Miles

ABOUT 120 MILES

TO RAQQA

SYRIA

MOUNT

SINJAR

IRAQ

Sinjar

ABOUT 60 MILES

TO MOSUL

47

Qamishli

Dohuk

Syria

MOUNT

SINJAR

Hasaka

Mosul

47

to Raqqa

Tal Afar

Approx. section of road

targeted by the operation

Isis

control

ISIS currently

moves freely through

eastern Syria

Iraq

Area of

detail

SYRIA

IRAQ

25 Miles

SYRIA

MOUNT

SINJAR

Sinjar

IRAQ

47

Syria

Dohuk

Mosul

MOUNT SINJAR

47

Tal Afar

Approx. section of road

targeted by the operation

Isis

control

Iraq

Area of

detail

Syria

Iraq

25 Miles

Source: IHS Conflict Monitor (control areas)

The State of the War Against ISIS

Updated Oct. 22, 2015

The United States, Iraq and their allies are engaging the Islamic State on multiple fronts in an attempt to weaken the militants' defenses. While Iraqi forces expand their foothold at the Baiji oil refinery, about 10,000 Iraqi troops are carrying out an offensive on Ramadi, and a plan to advance on Raqqa, Syria, is underway. On Thursday, Kurdish and American forces raided an Islamic State outpost and prison near Hawija.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

The American and Turkish militaries announced a joint plan to remove Islamic State militants from a 60-mile strip along the Turkish border. The deal opens two air bases in southern Turkey for use by American warplanes to carry out strikes against Islamic State positions.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

A suicide bomber believed to have ties to ISIS killed at least 32 people in this ethnically Kurdish town.

Turkey will allow U.S. airstrikes against ISIS to be conducted from air bases at Incirlik and Diyarbakir.

Approximate safe zone where U.S. and Turkish forces seek to clear ISIS militants.

TURKEY

Incirlik air base

Suruc

Jarablus

Ras al-Ain

Kilis

Tal Abyad

Manbij

Dabiq

Hasaka

Marea

Ain Issa

Al Bab

SYRIA

Aleppo

25 MILES

Raqqa

Islamic State controlTurkish controlKurdish control

Rebel controlContested

Approximate safe zone where U.S. and Turkish forces seek to clear ISIS militants.

A suicide bomber believed to have ties to ISIS killed at least 32 people in this ethnically Kurdish town.

TURKEY

Suruc

Ras al-Ain

Jarablus

Kilis

Tal Abyad

Manbij

Dabiq

Marea

Ain Issa

Al Bab

Aleppo

SYRIA

Raqqa

25 MILES

Islamic State controlTurkish controlKurdish control

Rebel controlContested

Approximate safe zone where U.S. and Turkish forces seek to clear ISIS militants.

A suicide bomber believed to have ties to ISIS killed at least 32 people in this ethnically Kurdish town.

TURKEY

Suruc

Jarablus

Kilis

Tal Abyad

Manbij

Dabiq

Marea

Ain Issa

Al Bab

Aleppo

SYRIA

Raqqa

25 MILES

Islamic State control

Turkish control

Kurdish control

Rebel control

Contested

TURKEY

Approximate safe zone where U.S. and Turkish forces seek to clear ISIS militants.

Suruc

Jarablus

Kilis

Tal Abyad

Manbij

Dabiq

Marea

Ain Issa

Al Bab

Aleppo

A suicide bomber believed to have ties to ISIS killed at least 32 people in this ethnically Kurdish town.

SYRIA

Raqqa

25 MILES

Islamic State control

Turkish control

Kurdish control

Rebel control

Contested

TURKEY

Approximate safe zone where U.S. and Turkish forces seek to clear ISIS militants.

Suruc

Jarablus

Kilis

Manbij

Dabiq

Marea

Al Bab

Aleppo

A suicide bomber believed to have ties to ISIS killed at least 32 people in this ethnically Kurdish town.

SYRIA

25 MILES

Anbar Offensive Against ISIS Shifts to Ramadi

Published July 23, 2015

Iraqi security forces are conducting operations backed by American airstrikes around Ramadi in preparation for an assault by about 6,000 Iraqi troops within one to eight weeks, according to a senior American military official. About 2,000 Islamic State fighters have been building defenses in Ramadi.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

The Iraqi government announced on Monday that it was beginning a major military operation to retake Anbar Province from the Islamic State. While Iraqi forces have been fighting to cut off a supply route, ISIS attacked an Iraqi-held town in an apparent effort to pull Iraqi forces from Falluja.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

The air campaign led by the United States against the Islamic State reached a new peak of 38 strikes on July 4. Raqqa, ISIS' de facto capital, was hit 18 times. In mid-June, airstrikes helped Kurdish forces seize Tal Abyad from the Islamic State.Related Maps and Multimedia »

Source: Based on Defense Department statements

U.S.-led Airstrikes Against ISIS

June 15 to July 5

Each circle represents a targeted area, sized by number of airstrikes.

TURKEY

Kobani

44

Tal Afar

Hasaka

U.S. officials called the 38 airstrikes on July 4 the most sustained campaign to date.

Mosul

55

Tal Abyad

Erbil

Aleppo

Sinjar

Raqqa

32

Makhmur

Airstrikes in Syria

Kirkuk

Hawija

29

Deir al-Zour

28

IRAQ

25

SYRIA

Baiji

21

IRAN

Homs

Tikrit

Palmyra

Rawa

Qaim

Haditha

Baghdadi

Hit

Falluja

Damascus

Baghdad

Waleed

Ramadi

Jun. 15

Jun. 21

Jul. 1

Jul. 5

Habbaniya

Rutba

50 MILES

Airstrikes in Iraq

U.S.-led Airstrikes Against ISIS

June 15 to July 5

TURKEY

Tal Abyad

Kobani

U.S. officials called the 38 airstrikes on July 4 the most sustained campaign to date.

44

Tal Afar

Mosul

Hasaka

55

Aleppo

Erbil

Sinjar

Raqqa

32

Makhmur

Airstrikes in Syria

29

Hawija

Kirkuk

28

Deir al-Zour

IRAQ

25

Baiji

SYRIA

Tikrit

Palmyra

Rawa

Qaim

Haditha

Baghdadi

Hit

Falluja

Baghdad

Waleed

Ramadi

Each circle represents a targeted area, sized by number of airstrikes.

Rutba

Habbaniya

Jun. 15

Jun. 21

Jul. 1

Jul. 5

50 MILES

Airstrikes in Iraq

U.S.-led Airstrikes Against ISIS

June 15 to July 5

U.S. officials called the 38 airstrikes on July 4 the most sustained campaign to date.

29

28

25

Airstrikes in Syria

Airstrikes in Iraq

Jun. 15

Jun. 21

Jul. 1

Jul. 5

TURKEY

Kobani

44

Tal Afar

Mosul

55

Tal Abyad

Aleppo

Hasaka

Sinjar

Raqqa

32

Makhmur

Kirkuk

Hawija

Deir al-Zour

IRAQ

Each circle represents a targeted area, sized by number of airstrikes.

Baiji

SYRIA

Rawa

Qaim

Haditha

Baghdadi

Hit

Falluja

Waleed

Ramadi

Habbaniya

Rutba

50 MILES

jordan

U.S.-led Airstrikes Against ISIS

June 15 to July 5

38 airstrikes on July 4

29

28

25

Airstrikes

in Syria

Airstrikes

in Iraq

Jun. 15

Jun. 21

Jul. 1

Jul. 5

Kobani

Tal Abyad

44

Mosul

55

Aleppo

Raqqa

IRAQ

Baiji

SYRIA

Ramadi

50 MILES

Each circle represents a targeted area, sized by number of airstrikes.

Source: Based on Defense Department statements

New ISIS Offensive in Syria Counters Losses

Published June 30, 2015

After losses in northern Syria in mid-June, ISIS militants seized southern parts of Hasaka, a city that had been contested between Kurdish forces and the Syrian government, on June 25. ISIS militants also attacked Kobani and a Syrian government-controlled air base outside of Deir al-Zour. On June 30, ISIS fighters attacked Tal Abyad, which was taken by Kurdish forces two weeks earlier.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Sources: Institute for the Study of War; The Long War Journal; Satellite image by Landsat via Google Earth; United Nations

TURKEY

Kobani

Jarablus

Ras al-Ain

Tal Abyad

U.S. military conducted 27 airstrikes from June 25 to 29

Hasaka

Clashes displaced 60,000 people

Ain Issa

Aleppo

Shadadi

SYRIA

Maskana

Raqqa

Markada

Area of detail

SYRIA

Deir al-Zour

Islamic State control

Kurdish control

Contested

25 MILES

TURKEY

Kobani

Ras al-Ain

Tal Abyad

Hasaka

U.S. military conducted 27 airstrikes from June 25 to 29

Clashes displaced 60,000 people

Ain Issa

Shadadi

SYRIA

Raqqa

Markada

Area of detail

SYRIA

Islamic State control

Kurdish control

Contested

Deir al-Zour

25 MILES

TURKEY

Kobani

Ras al-Ain

Tal Abyad

Hasaka

Ain Issa

SYRIA

Shadadi

Raqqa

Markada

Area of detail

SYRIA

Deir al-Zour

Islamic State control

Kurdish control

Contested

25 MILES

Sources: Institute for the Study of War; The Long War Journal; Satellite image by Landsat via Google Earth; United Nations

Where ISIS Is Gaining Ground in Libya

Updated June 30, 2015

In November 2014, the Islamic State established a base in Libya after accepting pledges of allegiance from militants in Darnah, Libya. Forces loyal to the Misurata-Tripoli faction retreated from areas east and west of Surt, where the Islamic State was gaining territory, at the end of May. On June 14, the Islamic State lost control of Darnah to local militias.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Source: IISS Armed Conflict Database (control)

ISIS attacked a checkpoint here on May 31

ISIS lost its stronghold to local militias on June 14

Tripoli

Misurata

Bayda

Darnah

Dafnya

Tobruk

Benghazi

Mediterranean Sea

Surt

Nofilya

Area of detail

Gardabya

air base

Ajdabiya

Islamic State

LIBYA

Internationally recognized government

libya

Misurata-Tripoli faction

50 MILES

Contested

ISIS attacked a checkpoint here on May 31

ISIS lost its stronghold to local militias on June 14

Bayda

Dafnya

Darnah

Misurata

Benghazi

Mediterranean Sea

Surt

Nofilya

Gardabya

air base

Ajdabiya

Islamic State

LIBYA

Internationally recognized government

libya

Misurata-Tripoli faction

50 MILES

Contested

ISIS lost its stronghold to local militias on June 14

ISIS attacked a checkpoint here on May 31

Dafnya

Darnah

Misurata

Benghazi

Surt

Nofilya

Gardabya

air base

Ajdabiya

libya

Islamic State

LIBYA

Government

Misurata-Tripoli faction

Contested

50 MILES

Source: IISS Armed Conflict Database (control)

ISIS Loses Two Towns to Kurds and Syrian Rebels

Updated June 23, 2015

In about a week, a coalition of Kurdish militias and Syrian rebels seized two strategic towns controlled by the Islamic State near the border with Turkey. The latest advance led to the capture of Ain Issa, a town that is only 30 miles from the Islamic State’s stronghold, Raqqa.Related Maps and Multimedia »

Sources: Institute for the Study of War (control); Satellite image by Landsat via Google Earth

Area of detail

TURKEY

Kobani

Ras al-Ayn

SYRIA

Jarablus

Kurdish advances since mid-June.

Tal Abyad

Captured June 16

Hasaka

Ain Issa

Captured June 23

This important ISIS supply route between Turkey and Raqqa has been cut off.

Kurdish-led forces now have increased control over this strategic highway.

SYRIA

Maskana

Shadadi

Raqqa

Islamic State controlKurdish controlContested

20 MILES

Ras al-Ayn

TURKEY

Kobani

Kurdish advances since mid-June.

Tal Abyad

Captured June 16

SYRIA

Ain Issa

Captured June 23

This important ISIS supply route has been cut off.

Kurdish-led forces now have increased control over this strategic highway.

Area of detail

SYRIA

Islamic State control

Kurdish control

Contested

Raqqa

20 MILES

TURKEY

Tal Abyad

Captured

June 16

Kurdish advances since mid-June.

Ain Issa

Captured

June 23

This important ISIS supply route between Turkey and Raqqa has been cut off.

SYRIA

Area of detail

SYRIA

Islamic State control

Kurdish control

20 MILES

Sources: Institute for the Study of War (control); Satellite image by Landsat via Google Earth

ISIS Advances Toward Aleppo

Published June 2, 2015

Islamic State fighters came within several miles of the highway between Aleppo and the Bab al-Salam border crossing into Turkey, threatening a crucial supply route. If the Islamic State cuts off supplies to Aleppo, it would threaten the last major concentration of insurgents not affiliated with either the Islamic State or the Nusra Front, Al Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Sources: Non-Islamic State insurgents, Institute for the Study of War

Turkey

Aleppo

Kilis

SYRIA

Damascus

Bab al-Salam

crossing

Azaz

Isis

Support

Kirikhan

Afrin

Manbij

ISIS

Control

Al Bab

Syria

Reyhanli

Aleppo

10 MILES

Turkey

Kilis

Bab al-Salam

crossing

Azaz

Isis

Support

Afrin

ISIS

Control

Al Bab

Syria

Aleppo

Turkey

Kilis

Bab al-Salam

crossing

Azaz

Afrin

ISIS

Control

Syria

Aleppo

Sources: Non-Islamic State insurgents, Institute for the Study of War

How ISIS Captured Ramadi

Published May 23, 2015

The Islamic State has been battling for Ramadi, the capital of Anbar Province, since mid-April. The group launched a new assault on May 15 with the backing of sleeper cells to capture government facilities and take control of most of the city just two days later, on May 17. Ramadi is strategic to the Islamic State because of its proximity to Baghdad.Related Maps and Multimedia »

Source: Institute for the Study of War

ISIS established control in these central areas

May 15

May 18

ramadi

ramadi

Iraqi Security Forces were evacuated from the Malab neighborhood

Government

Facilities

Contested areas

Areas under ISIS control

2 MILES

Areas under Iraqi Security Forces control

Final Days Assault

A sandstorm forces the American-led airstrike campaign to pause, giving the group time to carry out 10 car bombings followed by a wave of ground attacks that overwhelms the Iraqi forces.

Iraqi Security Forces Retreat

Within days, Iraqi security forces flee, and Islamic State fighters take control of key government facilities.

May 15

May 18

ramadi

ramadi

Contested areas

Government

Facilities

Areas under ISIS control

2 MILES

Areas under Iraqi Security Forces control

Final Days Assault

A sandstorm forces the American-led airstrike campaign to pause, giving the group time to carry out 10 car bombings followed by a wave of ground attacks that overwhelms the Iraqi forces.

Iraqi Security Forces Retreat

Within days, Iraqi security forces flee, and Islamic State fighters take control of key government facilities.

Government

Facilities

ramadi

May 15

Final Days Assault

2 MILES

ramadi

May 18

Iraqi Security Forces Retreat

Contested areas

Areas under ISIS control

Areas under Iraqi Security Forces control

Source: Institute for the Study of War

After Taking Ramadi, ISIS Continues Offensive

Updated May 21, 2015

In the biggest victory for the Islamic State this year, militants took advantage of a sandstorm on Sunday to capture Ramadi, the capital of Anbar Province. Fighters seized a large cache of weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns supplied by the United States and Russia. They have since continued east, attacking the town of Khaldiya on Monday and breaking the Iraqi government's line of defense in Husayba on Thursday.Related Maps and Multimedia »

Sources: Institute for the Study of War (ISIS area of influence); International Crisis Group.

Area of

detail

Hit

IRAQ

Concentration of Shiite militia and Iraq government forces

Taji

Khaldiya

Karma

Falluja

Ramadi

Husayba

Habbaniyah

Baghdad

80 miles

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

Green

Zone

Abu

Ghraib

Habbaniyah

Lake

Amiriyat

Fallujah

Ramadi

Cities under ISIS control

Mahmudiyah

Areas where ISIS can operate

Area of

detail

IRAQ

Concentration of Shiite militia and Iraq government forces

Taji

Khaldiya

Karma

Falluja

Ramadi

Husayba

Baghdad

Habbaniyah

70 miles

60

50

40

30

20

10

Abu

Ghraib

Green

Zone

Habbaniyah Lake

Amiriyat

Fallujah

Ramadi

Cities under ISIS control

Mahmudiyah

Areas where ISIS can operate

Ramadi

Cities under ISIS control

Areas where ISIS can operate

Tharthar

Lake

Habbaniyah

Karma

Falluja

Ramadi

Baghdad

60

40

20 miles

Khaldiya

Husayba

Amiriyat

Fallujah

Ramadi

Cities under ISIS control

Areas where ISIS can operate

Tharthar

Lake

Hit

Habbaniyah

Karma

Ramadi

Falluja

Baghdad

80 miles

60

40

20

Khaldiya

Husayba

Amiriyat

Fallujah

Sources: Institute for the Study of War (ISIS area of influence); International Crisis Group.

ISIS Takes Second Key City This Week

Updated May 21, 2015

Just days after seizing Ramadi, in western Iraq, Islamic State militants captured the Syrian city of Palmyra, which had been under government control. There is concern that the Islamic State could destroy the ancient sites in Palmyra. The city, also known as Tadmur, is a critical stop on the highway between cities in the west and Deir al-Zour.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Source: Institute for the Study of War

1 MILE

ISIS fighters captured this district when the offensive began last week

Amiriya

Deir al-Zour

120 miles

Palmyra

Palmyra Airport

and Military

Airbase

Tadmur

Prison

Ancient

sites

SYRIA

Homs

Deir al-Zour

Road to Homs,

90 miles,

and Damascus,

130 miles

Palmyra

Damascus

1 MILE

Amiriya

ISIS fighters captured this district when the offensive began last week

Deir al-Zour

120 miles

Palmyra

Palmyra Airport

and Military

Airbase

Tadmur

Prison

Ancient

sites

SYRIA

Road to Homs,

90 miles,

and Damascus,

130 miles

Homs

Deir al-Zour

Palmyra

Damascus

1 MILE

Amiriya

ISIS fighters captured this district when the offensive began last week

Deir al-Zour

120 miles

Palmyra

Palmyra Airport

and Military

Airbase

Tadmur

Prison

Ancient

sites

Road to Homs,

90 miles,

and Damascus,

130 miles

SYRIA

Homs

Deir al-Zour

Palmyra

Damascus

1 MILE

Amiriya

Deir al-Zour

120 miles

Palmyra

Tadmur

Prison

Palmyra Airport

and Military

Airbase

Ancient

sites

SYRIA

Homs

Deir al-Zour

Palmyra

Damascus

1 MILE

Amiriya

ISIS fighters captured this district when the offensive began last week

Iraqi forces took control of Tikrit from the Islamic State on Tuesday after weeks of ground attacks and airstrikes. Iraqi military leaders are now vowing to move to liberate Anbar Province, the Sunni heartland in western Iraq. The militants hold more than half of Anbar Province, including the city of Falluja and large areas around the capital, Ramadi.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

After weeks of Iraqi military ground attacks and five days of heavy coalition airstrikes, ISIS continued to control large portions of Tikrit, a strategic city in Iraq's central Sunni heartland.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

IRAQ

Government control

Former presidential

palace

Tikrit University

Mosul

ISIS control

Tikrit

Tigris

Approximate

front line

Ouja

1

Baghdad to

Mosul Highway

Government control

Tikrit

ISIS supply route north

Surrounded ISIS militants used tunnels to evade Iraqi forces and gain access to Highway 1. The highway is a critical supply route to Mosul, ISIS’ major base in Iraq.

Baghdad

IRAQ

IRAQ

Government control

Former presidential

palace

Tikrit University

Mosul

ISIS control

Tikrit

Tigris

Approximate

front line

Ouja

1

Baghdad to

Mosul Highway

Government control

ISIS supply route north

Surrounded ISIS militants used tunnels to evade Iraqi forces and gain access to Highway 1. The highway is a critical supply route to Mosul, ISIS’ major base in Iraq.

Tikrit

Baghdad

IRAQ

Approximate

frontline

ISIS control

Gov’t

control

Mosul

Tigris

Tikrit

1

Gov’t

control

Tikrit

IRAQ

ISIS supply line north

Despite being surrounded, ISIS militants

used tunnels to evade government fighters

and access Highway 1. The highway is a

critical supply line to and from Mosul, ISIS’

major base in Iraq.

Approximate

front line

Government

control

Mosul

ISIS control

Tigris

Tikrit

1

Government

control

Baghdad to

Mosul Highway

Tikrit

Baghdad

ISIS supply route north

Surrounded ISIS militants used tunnels to evade Iraqi forces and gain access to Highway 1. The highway is a critical supply route to Mosul, ISIS’ major base in Iraq.

1 Government forces and allied militias continued to battle ISIS militants in Tikrit.

2 At the same time, ISIS fighters were mounting a fierce assault on Ramadi.

3 Kurdish and Sunni tribal fighters advanced on ISIS territory from the northern city of Kirkuk.

4 Residents of Hawija said that ISIS executed some of its own fighters for trying to flee as the group came under attack from Kurdish forces.

1 Government forces and allied militias continued to battle ISIS militants in Tikrit.

2 At the same time, ISIS fighters were mounting a fierce assault on Ramadi.

3 Kurdish and Sunni tribal fighters advanced on ISIS territory from the northern city of Kirkuk.

4 Residents of Hawija said that ISIS executed some of its own fighters for trying to flee as the group came under attack from Kurdish forces.

1 Government forces and allied militias continued to battle ISIS militants in Tikrit.

2 At the same time, ISIS fighters were mounting a fierce assault on Ramadi.

3 Kurdish and Sunni tribal fighters advanced on ISIS territory from the northern city of Kirkuk.

4 Residents of Hawija said that ISIS executed some of its own fighters for trying to flee as the group came under attack from Kurdish forces.

Source: Institute for the Study of War

The Operation to Recapture Tikrit From ISIS

Published March 12, 2015

Pro-government forces are close to recapturing Tikrit, the birthplace of Saddam Hussein, from the Islamic State. More than 30,000 fighters — soldiers, Shiite militia forces, Sunni tribal fighters and members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps — are involved in the offensive, which is the largest operation against ISIS since it took over much of northern Iraq last year.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Source: Institute for the Study of War, Long War Journal, Iraqi government, Asa’ab Ahl al-Haq

Alam

Area of

detail

Camp Speicher

IRAQ

Tikrit

Area still

controlled

by ISIS.

Pro-Iraqi forces

took control on

March 12

Albu Ajeel

Tigris R.

Dour

5 Miles

Alam

Area of

detail

Camp Speicher

IRAQ

Tikrit

Area still

controlled

by ISIS.

Pro-Iraqi forces

took control on

March 12

Albu Ajeel

Tigris R.

5 Miles

Dour

Alam

Area of

detail

Camp Speicher

IRAQ

Tikrit

Area still

controlled

by ISIS.

Pro-Iraqi forces

took control on

March 12

Albu Ajeel

Tigris R.

5 Miles

1. On March 2, fighters approach Tikrit from the south and east, clearing villages along the way to Alam and Dour, two ISIS strongholds.

2. ISIS uses snipers, roadside bombs and other guerrilla tactics to keep pro-government forces from advancing. ISIS wired a major bridge to Tikrit from Tuz Khurmato with bombs.

3. Pro-government forces take control of Dour and Alam. As they consolidate their hold on the area, they uncover two mass graves in Albu Ajeel, believed to be the remains of soldiers massacred last summer by ISIS.

4. Pro-government forces seize large sections of Tikrit on March 10 and 11. On March 12, they take control of the western neighborhoods, leaving only the presidential palace complex and small pockets of the city center in ISIS hands.

1. On March 2, fighters approach Tikrit from the south and east, clearing villages along the way to Alam and Dour, two ISIS strongholds.

2. ISIS uses snipers, roadside bombs and other guerrilla tactics to keep pro-government forces from advancing. ISIS wired a major bridge to Tikrit from Tuz Khurmato with bombs.

3. Pro-government forces take control of Dour and Alam. As they consolidate their hold on the area, they uncover two mass graves in Albu Ajeel, believed to be the remains of soldiers massacred last summer by ISIS.

4. Pro-government forces seize large sections of Tikrit on March 10 and 11. On March 12, they take control of the western neighborhoods, leaving only the presidential palace complex and small pockets of the city center in ISIS hands.

1. On March 2, fighters approach Tikrit from the south and east, clearing villages along the way to Alam and Dour, two ISIS strongholds.

2. ISIS uses snipers, roadside bombs and other guerrilla tactics to keep pro-government forces from advancing. ISIS wired a major bridge to Tikrit from Tuz Khurmato with bombs.

3. Pro-government forces take control of Dour and Alam. As they consolidate their hold on the area, they uncover two mass graves in Albu Ajeel, believed to be the remains of soldiers massacred last summer by ISIS.

4. Pro-government forces seize large sections of Tikrit on March 10 and 11. On March 12, they take control of the western neighborhoods, leaving only the presidential palace complex and small pockets of the city center in ISIS hands.

Source: Institute for the Study of War, Long War Journal, Iraqi government, Asa’ab Ahl al-Haq

ISIS Territory Remains Larger Than Many Countries

Published March 6, 2015

Despite the American-led airstrikes, the area controlled by ISIS has not shifted significantly since last summer, when the group took over large parts of Syria and Iraq. The territory seized by the radical Islamist group is greater than many countries.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Source: Institute for the Study of War

TURKEY

100 miles

IRAN

Hasaka

Mosul

IRAQI

KURDISTAN

Raqqa

Aleppo

ISIS support

areas

Kirkuk

Deir al-Zour

Areas under

full ISIS control

Euphrates

Tigris

LEBANON

SYRIA

IRAQ

Damascus

Baghdad

Rutba

Falluja

ISRAEL

JORDAN

100 miles

TURKEY

IRAQI

KURDISTAN

IRAN

Hasaka

Mosul

Erbil

Aleppo

Raqqa

SYRIA

IRAQ

Kirkuk

Deir al-Zour

Areas under full

ISIS control

Euphrates

Abu Kamal

Tigris

ISIS support

areas

LEBANON

Damascus

Baghdad

Rutba

Falluja

ISRAEL

JORDAN

100 miles

Mosul

Raqqa

Aleppo

IRAQI

KURDISTAN

IRAQ

SYRIA

Euphrates

Tigris

full

ISIS control

Damascus

Baghdad

Source: Institute for the Study of War

ISIS Attacks Against Assyrian Christians

Published Feb. 26, 2015

ISIS militants have kidnapped an estimated 300 people from a string of villages along the Khabur River. The residents here are mostly Assyrian, an indigenous Christian people, and the area has long been controlled by Kurdish militias. Villages have changed hands several times in recent weeks as Kurdish, Arab Muslim and Christian groups have joined forces against the Islamic State attacks.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

At least 20,000 fighters have traveled to Syria and Iraq over the course of the recent conflicts in the two countries, according to a recently updated report by the International Center for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence. In response, many countries have passed laws making it illegal to travel to fight in a foreign conflict or, even more specifically, making it illegal to join the Islamic State.Related Maps and Multimedia »

Sources: Country of origin data from Peter Neumann, King's College London; the International Center for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence

North Africa and Middle East

The largest share of foreign fighters counted in the study came from Tunisia, a country with one of the more stable post-Arab Spring governments. Saudi Arabia’s share is also large, but recent government crackdowns have stanched the flow of fighters.

Former Soviet States

Decades of officially sanctioned religious persecution, ethnic conflicts and Islamic radicalization are key reasons for the flow of fighters from post-Soviet states, according to Peter Neumann, director of the I.C.S.R. Many fighters have combat experience from decades of war in the Caucasus.

Western Europe

The war in Syria has drawn young Europeans, many of whom have used cheap flights to Turkey as a route to Syria. Mr. Neumann noted that some small European countries like Belgium produce a remarkable number of fighters in relation to their population.

Other regions

American law enforcement officials have focused not only on monitoring social media networks more aggressively, but also on educating state and local authorities about ways to identify potential travelers.

Low end of estimate range

China

300

BOSNIA

330

UzBEK.

500

PakISTAN

500

TurkM.

U.K.

500 to 600

Ger.

500 to 600

Turkey

600

Russia

800 to

1,500

France

1,200

Morocco

1,500

Tunisia

1,500 tO 3,000 FIGHTERS

CAN.

Kos.

KaZ.

SWE.

Aus.

BelgIUM

440

Tajikistan

U.S.

100 fighters

NETH.

Spain

Kyrgyzstan

UKRAINE

Jordan

1,500

Den.

Aus.

FinL.

Saudi

Arabia

1,500 to 2,500

Italy

Lebanon

900

Egypt

Libya

600

Sudan

Alg.

Isr.

Yem.

Somalia

Kuwait

North Africa and Middle East

The largest share of foreign fighters counted in the study came from Tunisia, a country with one of the more stable post-Arab Spring governments. Saudi Arabia’s share is also large, but recent government crackdowns have stanched the flow of fighters.

Morocco

1,500

Tunisia

1,500 tO 3,000 FIGHTERS

Jordan

1,500

Saudi

Arabia

1,500 to 2,500

Lebanon

900

Egypt

Libya

600

Sudan

Alg.

Isr.

Yem.

Somalia

Kuwait

Former Soviet States

Decades of officially sanctioned religious persecution, ethnic conflicts and Islamic radicalization are key reasons for the flow of fighters from post-Soviet states, according to Peter Neumann, director of the I.C.S.R. Many fighters have combat experience from decades of war in the Caucasus.

UzBEK.

500

TurkM.

Russia

800 to

1,500

KaZ.

Low end of

estimate range

Tajikistan

UKRAINE

Western Europe

The war in Syria has drawn young Europeans, many of whom have used cheap flights to Turkey as a route to Syria. Mr. Neumann noted that some small European countries like Belgium produce a remarkable number of fighters in relation to their population.

U.K.

500 to 600

Ger.

500 to 600

France

1,200

SWE.

BelgIUM

440

NETH.

Spain

Den.

Aus.

FinL.

Italy

Other regions

American law enforcement officials have focused not only on monitoring social media networks more aggressively, but also on educating state and local authorities about ways to identify potential travelers.

China

300

BOSNIA

330

PakISTAN

500

Turkey

600

CAN.

Kos.

Aus.

U.S.

100 fighters

U.K.

5-600

Ger.

5-600

UzBEK.

500

PakI.

500

BOS.

China

Turkey

600

TURKM.

Russia

800 TO

1,500

France

1,200

Morocco

1,500

Tunisia

1,500

tO 3,000

FIGHTERS

CAN.

KaZ.

SWE.

Belg.

U.S.

100

fighters

NETH.

Jordan

1,500

Low end

of estimate range

Saudi

Arabia

1,500 to

2,500

Leb.

900

Libya

Isr.

Sources: Country of origin data from Peter Neumann, King's College London; the International Center for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence

Fallout From the Battle With ISIS for Kobani

Published Oct. 17, 2014

Weeks of ISIS attacks and coalition airstrikes have resulted in widespread damage across the Syrian border town of Kobani, according to an analysis by Unitar/Unosat. The violence has also forced many of residents to flee north into Turkey.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Satellite images by DigitalGlobe via Unitar/Unosat

Sept. 6, 2014

Oct. 15

200 feet

damaged

buildings

CRATER

damaged

buildings

Destruction in Kobani Damage in the eastern part of the city. Several buildings appear to be destroyed or heavily damaged.

Sept. 6, 2014

Oct. 15

200 FEET

Turkey

ground

Carved out

for car

storage

border

crossing

syria

Border Crossing Hundreds of vehicles clustered around a border crossing point on the Syrian side of the border.

Sept. 6, 2014

Oct. 15

200 feet

Refugee

Camp

Refugee Camp Over the border in Turkey, a camp has been created for the increasing numbers of refugees fleeing the violence.

Sept. 6, 2014

Oct. 15

200 feet

damaged

buildings

CRATER

damaged

buildings

Destruction in Kobani Damage in the eastern part of the city. Several buildings appear to be destroyed or heavily damaged.

Iraqi soldiers, supported by local Sunni tribes and U.S. airstrikes, fought ISIS militants and succeeded in driving them from the Haditha Dam and nearby towns.

HitOct. 2 to 7

ISIS began an offensive to take control of Hit. Within days, ISIS militants controlled large parts of the city and the nearby town of Kubaysa, besieged the local police station and threatened a major air base nearby.

RamadiSept. 19 to Oct. 12

Ramadi is the center of the tribal resistance against ISIS in Anbar Province and the home of Ahmed Abu Risha, a prominent anti-ISIS leader. ISIS has repeatedly attacked the area and killed the provincial chief of police on Oct. 12.

Source: Institute for the Study of War

Watching as ISIS Attacks a Border Town

Updated Oct. 9, 2014

As of Thursday, Turkey had refused to intervene in the Islamic State’s tightening siege of the Syrian border town of Kobani, in spite of pressure from the White House and demonstrations in Turkey and Europe by angry Kurds.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

CITY OF KOBANI

Border

SYRIA

Mine fields

Turkish tanks

TURKEY

Turkish Kurds

watch the Islamist

assault to the city

while Turkish

tanks stand.

SYRIA

CITY OF KOBANI

Border

Mine fields

Turkish tank

TURKEY

Turkish Kurds watch the Islamist assault to the city while Turkish tanks stand.

Photograph by Umit Bektas/Reuters.

ISIS Battles Kurds Over Syrian Border Town

Updated Oct. 9, 2014

Turkish troops continued to watch from a hilltop across the border as fighting raged between the Islamic State and Kurds in the Syrian border town of Kobani.Related Maps and Multimedia »

Source: Satellite image by DigitalGlobe, via Google Earth

Turkish armored units

enforced border crossing.

TURKEY

Mursitpinar

Minefields

Minefields

SYRIA

To Jerablus

A huge plume

rose in this area

Wednesday.

Black ISIS flag

visible on hilltop.

Kobani

Airstrikes in this area

have targeted tanks

and armed vehicles.

Five latest U.S.

airstrikes targeted areas

south of the city only.

1 mile

500 miles to Baghdad

Turkish armored units enforced border crossing.

Mursitpinar

TURKEY

Minefields

To Jarablus

SYRIA

A huge plume

rose in this area

Wednesday.

Black ISIS flag

visible on hilltop.

Kobani

Five latest U.S.

airstrikes targeted areas

south of the city only.

1 mile

Source: Satellite image by DigitalGlobe, via Google Earth

Amid Airstrikes Against ISIS, Refugees Flee Syria

Published Sept. 24, 2014

More than three million refugees have fled Syria since 2012. Most have crossed the border to Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, with smaller numbers going to Iraq and Egypt. Only about 12 percent live in the large refugee camps that have been built; many of the rest live in substandard shelters in towns and villages. Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

The United States and Arab allies began a bombing campaign against the Islamic State early Tuesday, targeting bases, training camps and checkpoints in at least four provinces in Syria. Separately, the United States Central Command attacked Khorasan, a network of Al Qaeda veterans suspected of plotting terror attacks on Western targets.
Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Erbil

Note: Strikes were not reported comprehensively day by day, so some may be missing from daily tallies.

A Closer Look At Mount Sinjar

Updated Aug. 15, 2014

Tens of thousands of Yazidis, a religious minority group in Iraq, were trapped on Mount Sinjar, besieged by ISIS militants who captured their towns at the foot of the mountain range in early August. Satellite imagery taken Aug. 7 indicates that many of the displaced fled ISIS by driving vehicles up the mountain, where some encountered road blocks and abandoned their cars.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

The United Nations estimates that militants with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria have forced nearly 180,000 families — or more than a million people — from their homes in Iraq. The exodus roughly breaks down into three phases.Related Maps and Multimedia »

January 1 to May 31

Anbar Province

Months before it became something of a household name, ISIS took control of much of Anbar Province, displacing an estimated 500,000 Iraqis.

June 1 to July 31

Over 61 days, families, on average, were displaced daily.

Anbar Province

321,210 families known displaced

Another half-million Iraqis were displaced in June and July when ISIS captured Mosul and advanced south toward Baghdad.

August 1 to August 6

Over 6 days, families, on average, were displaced daily.

Anbar Province

321,210 families known displaced

In early August, ISIS seized several towns under Kurdish control, displacing Yazidis, Christians and other religious minority groups. Although the United Nations says that the capture of Sinjar may have displaced as many as 33,000 families, that number is not yet included in the official data.

American jets attacked mobile artillery vehicles that had been shelling Kurdish targets in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region. The city has boomed since the American-led invasion of Iraq. It is home to a growing expatriate community of investment consultants and oil executives, as well as to an American consulate.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Sources: American and Kurdish officials

Mosul

Islamist militants have controlled Iraq's second-largest city since June 10.

Mosul Dam

Captured by

militants on

Thursday.

ABOUT 150 MILES

TO BAGHDAD

Iraq

Mahmour

Bombed by American

jets on Friday.

Gwer

Bombed on Thursday.

About 40

miles TO

ERBIL

About 35

miles TO

ERBIL

Kalak

Historic citadel

of Erbil

United States Consulate

is in this neighborhood

Chammah

ERBIL

AIRPORT

Area

visible

Erbil

Erbil

Kurdish capital

IRAQ

Baghdad

NORTH

Mahmour

Bombed by

American jets

on Friday.

Gwer

Bombed on

Thursday.

Mosul

Islamist militants have

controlled Iraq's second-largest

city since June 10.

Mosul Dam

Captured by militants

on Thursday.

Iraq

About 40 miles

TO ERBIL

About 35 miles

TO ERBIL

Historic citadel

of Erbil

United States Consulate

is in this neighborhood

Area

visible

Erbil

Kurdish capital

Erbil

IRAQ

Baghdad

NORTH

Mahmour

Bombed by American

jets on Friday.

Mosul Dam

Captured by militants

on Thursday.

Gwer

Bombed on

Thursday.

Mosul

About 40 miles TO ERBIL

Erbil

Kurdish

capital

Iraq

NORTH

Sources: American and Kurdish officials

Iraq’s Tangle of Insurgent Groups

Published July 12, 2014

Though ISIS has grown to be the most powerful militant group in Iraq, its foothold in the country relies on negotiating a shifting tangle of smaller groups and alliances. This is a snapshot of the active militant groups in provinces north and west of Baghdad, based on information from the Pentagon and other U.S. officials and reporting by Times journalists in Iraq. Related article »

Naqshbandia Order/J.R.T.N. »

Baathist

Established in 2007, the group's reputed leader was a high-ranking deputy in Saddam Hussein's regime. The group is believed to have initially assisted ISIS in its push south from Mosul.

1920 Revolution Brigades »

Baathist

Active in: Diyala, Anbar

ISIS relationship:Fighting in some areas

Formed by disaffected Iraqi Army officers who were left without jobs after the Americans dissolved the military in 2003.

Islamic Army of Iraq »

Salafist

Active in: Diyala, Salahuddin, Anbar

ISIS relationship:Periodic fighting

ISIS has targeted family members of the leadership of this group, which has long had a presence in Diyala and has been involved in past sectarian battles.

Mujahedeen Army »

Salafist

Active in: Diyala, Salahuddin, Anbar

ISIS relationship: Truce

A nationalist Islamist group that advocates overthrowing the Iraqi government.

Khata'ib al-Mustapha »

Salafist

Active in: Diyala

ISIS relationship: Truce

Islamic militants who fight against the government.

Army of Muhammad »

Salafist

Active in: Anbar

ISIS relationship: Allies

Islamic militants who fight against the government.

Khata'ib Tawrat al-Ashreen »

Anti-government Sunni Tribe

Active in: Diyala, Salahuddin

ISIS relationship: Truce

Sunni tribes opposed to the Iraqi government.

Ansar al-Islam/Ansar al-Sunna »

Islamist Jihadist

Active in: Diyala

ISIS relationship:Fighting

An Al Qaeda-affiliated group that has led a number of deadly attacks in Iraq over the years.

Opportunity and Hazard for Iraq’s Kurds

Published July 10, 2014

In northern Iraq, Kurds control a semiautonomous region that is more economically secure because of access to oil, and relatively stable because of a well-trained military force known as the pesh merga.

Recent gains by militants in Iraq prompted the pesh merga to take control of towns (), including the oil-rich area around Kirkuk. The regional government hopes to hold a referendum on independence soon, but faces pressure from the United States and other countries to remain a part of Iraq.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Syrian RefugeesMost of the Syrians who have been displaced have fled to Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Nearly all of those fleeing to Iraq have gone to the Kurdish autonomous region.

iran

Mosul

Raqqa

Erbil

Aleppo

Kurdish

autonomous

region

Kirkuk

syria

lebanon

Damascus

Thousands of

refugees at

destination

Baghdad

iraq

ISRAEL

jordan

10

100

Saudi Arabia

turkey

iran

Displaced IraqisThe rapid advance of Sunni militants from Mosul toward Baghdad displaced an estimated 500,000 Iraqis in recent weeks, adding to the hundreds of thousands displaced earlier this year. Many have gone to the already crowded camps in the Kurdish autonomous region.

Mosul

Raqqa

Erbil

Aleppo

Kirkuk

syria

leb.

Damascus

iraq

Baghdad

jordan

Amman

ISRAEL

Saudi Arabia

THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES

AT DESTINATION

10

100

Mosul

Aleppo

syria

Kurdish

autonomous

region

Leb.

Damascus

Baghdad

iraq

jordan

Syrian RefugeesMost of the Syrians who have been displaced have fled to Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Nearly all of those fleeing to Iraq have gone to the Kurdish autonomous region.

turkey

Mosul

Erbil

Aleppo

Kirkuk

syria

leb.

Damascus

iraq

Baghdad

jordan

Displaced IraqisThe rapid advance of Sunni militants from Mosul toward Baghdad displaced an estimated 500,000 Iraqis in recent weeks, adding to the hundreds of thousands displaced earlier this year. Many have gone to the already crowded camps in the Kurdish autonomous region.

Ottoman Empire

Before WWI, the Middle East was divided into several administrative provinces under the Ottoman Empire. Modern Iraq is roughly made up of the Ottoman provinces of Mosul, Baghdad, and Basra.

Sykes-Picot Agreement

In 1916, Mark Sykes and François Georges-Picot, British and French diplomats, secretly drew the first map to divide up the Ottoman Empire, beginning a series of border negotiations that led to the establishment of British and French mandates in 1920.

Religious and Ethnic Regions Today

Iraq's current boundaries bring together different, often adversarial, groups under one mixed national identity that has been strained by conflict. Still, if Iraq were to split, partition would not be so simple as drawing new borders along religious or ethnic lines.

Beginning on June 20 and in a rapid succession, ISIS fighters captured the western border crossings at Qaim, Waleed and Trebil. More recently the Iraqi government claims to have retaken some crossings.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Syria and Jordan

Karamah

Control Jordanian ArmyThe Jordanian army has increased security at the crossing, which remains open, but with little traffic.

Tanf

Control Syrian government

Bukamal

ControlISISSeized June 25A local agreement between ISIS and the Nusra Front on June 25 effectively placed Bukamal under ISIS control. By June 30, ISIS had wrested full control of the town and border crossing.

Yaroubia

Control Syrian Kurdish forcesSeized October 2013This side is controlled by Syrian Kurdish forces affiliated with a party that is engaged in a power struggle with Iraqi Kurdish leaders.

Iraq

Trebil

Control Unclear

ISIS took this crossing on June 22 after Iraqi forces fled, but recent reports of vehicle traffic from Jordan indicate that the crossing may be back the hands of the government.

Waleed

Control Unclear

ISIS took this crossing on June 22. The Iraqi government said that it is back in control of the crossing, but this could not be confirmed.

Qaim

Control ISISSeized June 20ISIS took control of the municipal council, customs office, border crossing and Iraqi police station, increasing its already significant presence on the main route between Baghdad and Aleppo. The Iraqi government said it abandoned the crossing in a strategic move to concentrate forces in Baghdad.

Rabia

Control Iraqi Kurdish pesh mergaSeized June 10Kurdish pesh merga forces secured this crossing on June 10 immediately following the fall of Mosul.

Baghdad became highly segregated in the years after the American-led invasion of Iraq. The city’s many mixed neighborhoods hardened into enclaves along religious and ethnic divisions. These maps, based on the work of Michael Izady for Columbia University’s Gulf 2000 project, show how the city divided from 2003 to 2009.Related Maps and Multimedia »

2003: Before the Invasion

Before the American invasion, Baghdad’s major sectarian groups lived mostly side by side in mixed neighborhoods. The city’s Shiite and Sunni populations were roughly equal, according to Juan Cole, a University of Michigan professor and Middle East expert.

2009: Violence Fuels Segregation

Sectarian violence exploded in 2006. Families living in areas where another sect was predominant were threatened with violence if they did not move. By 2009 Shiites were a majority, with Sunnis reduced to about 10 percent to 15 percent of the population.

• Kadhimiya, a historically Shiite neighborhood, is home to a sacred Shiite shrine.

• The Green Zone became the heavily fortified center of American operations during the occupation.

• Sadr City was the center of the insurgent Mahdi Army, led by the Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr.

• Huriya was transformed in 2006 when the Mahdi Army pushed out hundreds of families in a brutal spasm of sectarian cleansing.

• More than 8,000 displaced families relocated to Amiriya, the neighborhood where the Sunni Awakening began in Baghdad.

• Adhamiya, a Sunni island in Shiite east Baghdad, was walled and restricted along with other neighborhoods in 2007 for security.

• Neighborhoods east of the Tigris River are generally more densely populated than areas to the west.

2003

Sadr

City

Kadhimiya

Adhamiya

BAGHDAD

Green Zone

Baghdad

Airport

Tigris River

2 miles

2003: Before the Invasion

Before the American invasion, Baghdad’s major sectarian groups lived mostly side by side in mixed neighborhoods. The city’s Shiite and Sunni populations were roughly equal, according to Juan Cole, a University of Michigan professor and Middle East expert.

• Kadhimiya, a historically Shiite neighborhood, is home to a sacred Shiite shrine.

• The Green Zone became the heavily fortified center of American operations during the occupation.

• Sadr City was the center of the insurgent Mahdi Army, led by the Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr.

2009

Adhamiya

Huriya

BAGHDAD

Green Zone

Amiriya

Baghdad

Airport

Tigris River

2 miles

2009: Violence Fuels Segregation

Sectarian violence exploded in 2006. Families living in areas where another sect was predominant were threatened with violence if they did not move. By 2009 Shiites were a majority, with Sunnis reduced to about 10 percent to 15 percent of the population.

• Huriya was transformed in 2006 when the Mahdi Army pushed out hundreds of families in a brutal spasm of sectarian cleansing.

• More than 8,000 displaced families relocated to Amiriya, the neighborhood where the Sunni Awakening began in Baghdad.

• Adhamiya, a Sunni island in Shiite east Baghdad, was walled and restricted along with other neighborhoods in 2007 for security.

• Neighborhoods east of the Tigris River are generally more densely populated than areas to the west.

Witnesses reported that Sunni extremists seized Iraq’s largest oil refinery on June 18 after fighting the Iraqi Army for a week, but officials disputed the reports and the situation remains unclear. Workers were evacuated, and the facility, which provides oil for domestic consumption to 11 Iraqi provinces, including Baghdad, was shut down.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Several clashes occurred at the outskirts of Samarra, where Shiite militiamen have been sent to protect the Al-Askari Shrine.

70

Adhaim

June 15

Samarra

JUNE 11, 13, 17

60

Al-Mutasim

JUNE 14

Dhuluiya

JUNE 12

50

Ishaqi

Muqdadiya

The Iraqi army retook control of Ishaqi and Muqdadiya on June 14. In Muqdadiya, a Shiite militia assisted the government forces.

40

Dujail

JUNE 14

30

Militants took control of several neighborhoods in Baquba on June 16 but were repulsed by security officers after a three-hour gun battle. Later, 44 Sunni prisoners were killed in a government-controlled police station.

Baquba

June 16, 17

Tarmiyah

JUNE 11

20

Falluja and many towns in the western province of Anbar have been under ISIS control for about six months.

Tigris

River

10

At least five bomb attacks occurred in Baghdad, mainly in Shiite areas, in the week after the rebel group took Mosul. The bodies of four young men were found shot on June 17 in a neighborhood controlled by Shiite militiamen.

Sadr City

Kadhimiya

Falluja

Bab al-Sheikh

Al-Bab Al-Sharqi

Baghdad

Saidiyah

KeyTowns attackedBomb attacks

Miles from

Central Baghdad

70

Adhaim

Samarra

60

Al-Mutasim

Dhuluiya

Muqdadiya

Ishaqi

40

Dujail

30

Baquba

Tarmiyah

20

10

Falluja

Baghdad

Several clashes occurred at the outskirts of Samarra, where Shiite militiamen have been sent to protect the Al-Askari Shrine.

The Iraqi army retook control of Ishaqi and Muqdadiya on June 14. In Muqdadiya, a Shiite militia assisted the government forces.

Militants took control of several neighborhoods in Baquba on June 16 but were repulsed by security officers after a three-hour gun battle. Later, 44 Sunni prisoners were killed in a government-controlled police station.

At least five bomb attacks occurred in Baghdad, mainly in Shiite areas, in the week after the rebel group took Mosul. The bodies of four young men were found shot on June 17 in a neighborhood controlled by Shiite militiamen.

Falluja and many towns in the western province of Anbar have been under ISIS control for about six months.

The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the Sunni militant group that staged a stunning operation to seize Iraq’s second largest city, has been fueling sectarian violence in the region for years.Related Maps and Multimedia »Related article »

Sources: Global Terrorism Database, National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (attack data); Congressional Research Service; Council on Foreign Relations; Long War Journal; Institute for the Study of War